Collapsible tube-closing machine



Dec. 4 1923.

.. l. W. WEPPLQ COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSING MACHINE Filed 001;. 28

Patented Dec. 4, 1923. i

' nuisosr-a rsAAc w. WEPPLO, or CHICAGO, rLLINoIs. v

' COLLAPSIBLE TUB -cnos rive MACHINE.

Application filed October 28, 1921. Serial No. 511,201.

To aZZ whom: it may concern:

Be it known thatI, ISAAC WV. W nrrno, a

citizenof the United States, residing at- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State 5 of Illinois, have invented new anduseful llmprovements in Collapsible Tube-Closing.

Machines, of which the following is a specificat'ion. V

The present 1I1VG11tlOI1 is d rected to col- 1D lapsible tubes, and refers particularly to means for supporting such tubes during the operation of folding the end of the tubes.

Machinery for closing collapsible tube-sby folding the large bottom endof the tubes are well known and widely distributed. The object of the present invention is to provide improved means for supporting such tubes while they pass through the folding machine in order that the folds may present a pleasing appearance and so that they may be tight and substantial. V

To this end the invention resides in the combinations hereinafter fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, 5 of which: 1 a

Fig. 1 shows, inside elevation, a tube closing machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is fragmentary view of one of the tube supports, and illustrating the method of attaching this part to" machine of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the support and drawn substantially in agreement with the preceding views.

The tube closing machine, in which I have shown my invention embodied, is of awell known, largely used type,and for this reason a veryshort description of this machine is deemed sufficient, The machine comprises a stationary frame A ,'on which a turn-table 40 B is mounted to revolve, and the latter is fitted to receive collapsible tubes C, and to carry these tubes past suitable folding de vices l). The turn-table and the folding devices are interconnected for properly timed 5 motion, through the medium of suitable gearing E, and the machine is connected to be driven by a primemover, as by a belt pulley F. The folding devices are operated from a cam shaft 1, which is connected for continuous rotation by the said gearing. The

I turntable, on the other. hand, is given a step by step movement for the purpose of carrying each succeeding tube 0 into registration with the foldingdevice D, through the medium of suitable gear wheels 2 and And it is important to note, in order fully to understand the following description, that the turn-table advances one step every time the cam shaft 1 makes two complete 'i'evolutions. It is also to be noticed that there is a plurality of Sockets 4 capable ofholding tubes, and that each step movement of the turn-table brings a new tube into alinement with the folding devices D. The gear'wheel 2 is divided into a plurality of equal zones, each comprising a toothed portion 2, and a blank portion 2 from which the teeth have been removed. In the course ofits continuous rotation, each toothed portion of the wheel comes: into engagement with the gear wheel 8, imparting to the latter the intermittent rotating movement, which serves to bring the tubes G into a-linement with the folding elements D. The mechanical combination formed by the gears 2 and 8 is usually termed'a geneva. movement. To make such movement more reliable it is customary to mount co-operating discs'on the sides of the gears, toprevent overthrow, as well known to those versed in theartp But asthe specific intermittent gear construction forms no part. of this lnventlon, such dlscs 1 have not been'illustrated in the drawing.

The socket 5 takes. the formof a vertically disposed cylindrical member perforated to; receive a tube 0 and rigidly secured 'on' a; bracket 5, which latte-r :is'hung .on the'turn table. The tubes are in the first "instance,

filled'with the material for whichv the' tubes have been provided. Such tubes are made of thinffleXib-le metal, and it is found very difiicul't to retain their shape unchanged during the filling operation and in placing not quite bottom. in the socket, it will be found that the folding devices cannot function properly and that the tube will be ruined. 7

On theotherihand. it is necessary to hold the tubes in a certain position within the sockets. It has been found thatany irregv ularity in the positioning of the tubes will I afiett the tube ing operation. If" th tube has much freedom within the socket,

and can tip over to one side, it may lean to that. side sulliciently to drop out of registration with the folding devices, and the tube may be ruined, or at last incompletely closed. Or if a tube is fla toned at one place, bythe operatorsfingers, it may seek anv inclined position, with the same result.

The socket l is made with a perforation e large enough in diameter to admit atube even although the shape of such tube 18 V considerably affected, in handling. And

means are provided on each socket capable ofurging all thetubes on the turn-table into the proper position for alinement with the foldin devices. Such means may take the form of a resilient member 6, which has fingerportion 6 extending into the socket for engagement w1th the side of the tube.

' This resilient linger exerts a backward pressui'e'on the tube, relative to the direction ofniovement of the turntable, which pres: sure serves to hold the tube in a tical position against the opposite side of the wall in the socket. The resilient finger might be constructed to urge the tube forward, but if the tube in that case should collide lightly With the folding device, such collision would operate to tip the tube backward out of alinement with the folding elements. resilient linger must not under any circumstances urge the tube sidewise, because in that case the folding members would not funation properly. .Attention is directed to theconstruction of this resilient member 6 and to the manner in which the socket is shaped to receive said member. en annular groove 4 is cut in theouter surrace of this socket, and this groove communicates with a vertically disposed slot rising therefrom. The mem.

her 6 comprises an annular loop sli htly smaller m diameter than the bottom of the groove l and the aforesaid finger 6 which e'xtends'upward from the loop and projects through the slot l for the purpose herein-. .berore stated.

It is readily seen that this resilient membermay be attached simply by slipping the loop over the top of the socket, whereupon it instantly springs into place. In order to remove this member it is only required to spring it open sufliciently to slip. it over the top of the socket. This feature is important because it is necessary to remove the member frequently in order to clean the parts.

The

Tubes or" this character are widely used for dental. cream, paint, glue, and other sticky substances. Much care 1s not exerc1sed in filling the tubes, and

when the tubes are passed through the fold requiring the employment of special tools for their removal, hasnot been found practical, because such parts will always be found covered by a more or less hardened or dried layer of theoverfiowing materialot the tube contents.

It is well at this vtime to point out and it should be not-ed, that the socket perforation is made with a shoulder portion l, upi on which the shoulder 7 of the tube C is caused to rest, and that the portion 4, of the perforation, below the'shoulder 4*, is of a size freely to accommodate the screw-cap 8 of the tube.

the tube on the shoulder 7, whereas it is common practice to rest the screw-cap of he tube on the bottom of the socket. But

In other words, I am resting if the socket is made with a bottom, it is observed that it soon becomes filled with overflow material obstructing the space for the tube, and that such material is difficult to remove when partly dry and hard. The socket of my invention is open clear through,

and the overflowing material can escape through the bottom and drop to the floor The socket of my into a drip pan below. vcntion is therefore substantially self clean ing. I I i p It is customary to repeat the folding operation. The first operation presses the end of the tube flat and folds it over once. The tube is then elevated as much as-ithas been shortened by the first folding operation,

whereupon the repeated pressing operation tightens the first fold, and a second folding oporationcompletes the sealing of the tube.

In order to permit of suchfelevation, the

bracket 5 of the tube socket has beenmade with a vertically disposed post 9, which is slidably fitted in a perforation of the turntable. Normallythe bracket rests, by its own weight, on the turn-table, and a spring 10 is placed between the bottom surface of the latter and thelug 5? of the bracket for the further purpose of urging the parts into such normal position. should overflow material penetrate into the bearing of the post 9 and influence the freedom of sliding movement of the parts. y

It Was hereinbefore mentioned that the part of the aforenamed power andtime gearing E. This gear wheel is, on'its face, pro

vided with a cam-groove 11 in which rides a pin or roller 12 of an arm 13, and the lat ter is rigid on a. rockshaft 1 l, seated in the machine frame. To this inner end of this rod is fasteneda lifting arm 15, which extends its forward into the path of the bottom of the 7 socket bracket 5. The cam-groove 11 is made in two semi-circular portions, one having a longer radius than the other. the pin 12 rides in the smaller groove portion it is tilted forward and the lifting arm 15 is then down,-out of the path of the bracket 5. But the moment the pin passes into the larger groove, the'arm must necessarily follow the movement of the pin, wit-h the result that the lifting arm is raised, and that it engages the bottom of the bracket and elevates the bracket, together with the socket 4: and the therein supported tube, to the proper polsition required for making the second fo d.

The spring 10 serves a double purpose. In the first place it urges the-bracket 5 clownward, as already explained, and its further I purpose is to maintain the bracket firmly in position radially, in order that it may not vi-' brate back and forth on the post 9. It may be said that the bracket can be so nicely fitted to slide on the edge of the turn-table that no lost motion and consequent vibration can 00- our. But when it is remembered that all the brackets are frequently detached, in order to remove the overflow of material, and that they are not likely to be put back in the same order, it is not such asimple matter to obtain a perfect fit between the brackets and the turntable. Furthermore, such a perfect fit is objectionable because the overflowing contents of the tubes will reach into and settle on the abutting sliding surfaces and, on account of their stickiness, retard or even prevent the movement of the close fitting brackets on the table. In view of the fore going it is to be noted that thebracket and its post'are purposely loosely fitted by allowing aconsiderable amount of' play between the parts, and that the spring 10 is wound devices during its forward movement, it would be forced rearward, against the tension of its spring, and out of alinement with the folding elements.

The bracket is no; pressed forward, because if it happened-to touch the folding Iclaim:

1. In a collapsibletube folding machine, the combination with a turn-table and tube folding devices, of means on saiditable' for supporting tubes to be closed, said neans including elements: for yieldingly'inaintaining the tubes in alinementwi'thgsaidfolding devices.

2. Ina collapsible tube closing machine, the combination withv a turn-table and folding devices, of means attachable to said tab-1e I for supporting tubes to be closedand vertlcally slidable, and resilient means urging said supporting means-downward and rearward.

3. In a collapsible tube closing machine, thecombination with a turn-table and folding devices, of a pluralityofbrackets verticallyslidab le on said table, means yieldingly maintaining said brackets depressed and rear-wa-rdly pressed, and a tubular cylinde-r: on each of said, brackets, said cylin der having an inside shoulder intermediate its ends for supporting a tube to be closed. 4. In a collapsibletube closing machine,

V. the combination with a-turn-table and folding devices, of means attachableto said table and capable of supporting a tube tobec=losed, sa.id means including a cylindrical member having a cylindrical bore: the-re through of a size freely to accommodates tube to be elosed,"ther-e being insaid bore a shoulder supporting said tube, andyielding means capable of maintaining said tube in the proper position for registration with the said folding devices 5. In a collapsible tube closing iniachine, the combination with a turn-table and folding devices, of a plurality of brackets attachable to said table, and tube sockets verhaving a shouldered perforation of a size freely to sup-port a tube and yielding means attachable to the socket and urging the tube into proper position ofalinement with said folding devices.

6. In a collapsibletube'closing machine,

the combination with a turn-table andfold ing devices, of tube sockets: attachable to said table, each socket perforated to receive a tube andma-de with an external annular 1 groove, from which rises a vertically d1sposed slot through the wall of the socket,

. pressed, a tubular socket in each bracket for 105 tically fixed in said bracket-s, each socket supporting a tube to be closed, and resilient means attachable to said socket foiyihe purable: tube supporfson saidtable-,ap cl yieldtho supported tubos in alinementwith the folding devices.

In testimony wliereofIhave hereunto affixed myisignat-ure.

111;; means on said supports for maintaining ISAAC WI EPPLo. i 

